Boston’s North End: Among the Best Little Italy Neighborhoods

You don’t have to leave the U.S. to experience Italian culture and cuisine. There are vibrant Italian neighborhoods in various cities in the United States that offer traditional foods, music, festivals, and immersive cultural experiences. Travel + Leisure magazine compiled a list of the best Little Italy neighborhoods in the U.S. Their choices span from New York, New York, to San Diego, California, and Providence, Rhode Island. Making their list in the number one spot is Boston. The magazine highlighted the North End in Boston as the "city's unofficial Little Italy." "With lines winding down Hanover Street at Mike's Pastry or Modern Pastry, this neighborhood — the oldest one in Boston — is teeming with delicious pastries, including some coveted cannoli," they wrote. Travel + Leisure also spotlights the culinary offerings of the North End, including Southern Italian-inspired pasta dishes and pizza napoletana from Antico Forno, cappuccinos at Caffé Vittoria (Boston’s first Italian cafe), and squid ink linguine at The Daily Catch, known for its Sicilian-style seafood and pasta. Additionally, the North End hosts the St. Anthony’s Feast, an annual festival over the last weekend of August. The event includes vendors serving classic Italian-American foods, live music, and a grand procession through the neighborhood's streets. Over the past 400 years, the North End has been home to various communities, including an early African American population and waves of Irish, eastern European Jewish, and, more recently, Italian immigrants. According to Boston University, by 1930, the neighborhood had predominantly Italian residents, earning its reputation as Little Italy. Today, it remains a popular destination for locals and visitors alike, drawn by its authentic cuisine, historical sites, and lively summer street festivals honoring revered saints. Check out T+L’s full list here and find out where else you can discover Little Italy in the U.S. [select-listicle listicle_id="611369" syndication_name="from-pizza-to-guitars-here-are-your-best-i-95-stops-from-boston-to-new-york" description="yes"]